The next morning, a delivery truck pulled up outside the mansion.

The driver began unloading a large number of shopping bags and carried them one cartload at a time into the dressing room. He had to make several trips before he was finished.

By the time he had carried in all the parcels, there were so many shopping bags in the room that it was impossible to count them all.

“What on earth is all this?”

Butler Ok asked in bewilderment, staring at the piles.

“I… have no idea.”

Ye-jin replied, sounding equally puzzled.

Before leaving, the courier handed her a postcard. It featured an illustration of the sea, accompanied by a single line of neat, familiar handwriting.

[Sorry for buying it so late.]

‘What does that mean?’

Ye-jin tilted her head, unable to make sense of the message at first. Although the handwriting made it clear who had sent the delivery, the reason behind it remained a mystery.

“Shall we open them?”

Butler Ok asked.

“Yes, let’s do it together.”

They began to open the shopping bags, one by one. Inside each one was a beautifully wrapped box, tied up with ribbon. Inside each box was a dust bag, and inside that was a handbag.

Each one was a handbag. Each one had a different design and was from a different brand — all luxurious, stylish and clearly chosen with care.

“Why do the CEO sent so many bags?”

Butler Ok asked, still looking baffled.

Ye-jin smiled faintly. Now she understood.

A long time ago, when he saw her old, frayed bag with its loose stitches, he promised to buy her a new one someday.

It seemed he was finally keeping that promise.

There were so many of them that it was almost overwhelming, but that excess and over-the-top gesture was exactly the kind of thing Seo Jung-hoo would do.

He was a man who never knew moderation — always excessive and overflowing. Ye-jin considered that one of his charms, of course.

She stepped out onto the terrace and called to him. He must have been busy with work, but he didn’t keep her waiting for long. He answered after just three rings, his voice sounding brisk yet warm.

“I’ve got the bags. But, to be honest, how am I supposed to carry them all? You bought them without considering practicality at all!”

—” Then carry a different one with you every day. You’ll have gone through them all in a few months!”

His nonchalant tone left her speechless.

A few months’ worth of bags meant that she could use a new one every single day for months on end.

“You really don’t know the meaning of moderation, do you?”

—”What do you mean? I actually held back this time. Chief Baek stopped me.”

She let out a soft, incredulous laugh. That was him “holding back”?

“Anyway… thank you.”

Although it was absurd, she couldn’t deny the warmth spreading through her chest. The thought of the dressing room now overflowing with gifts made her smile.

—”How thankful are you?”

“…What?”

—”Thankful enough to repay me—with your body.”

She groaned, frowning in exasperation. As always, he managed to ruin every touching moment with an indecent remark.

“Pervert. Is that really all you ever think about?”

—”You know me well. You’re right. The only thing I ever think about is devouring you, Yoo Ye-jin.”

He didn’t even bother to deny it, his voice smooth, shameless, and darkly amused.

—”When I get home tonight, you’ll be the first thing I hold.”

His low voice brushed against her ear through the receiver, rich with heat.

—”We can see Hope afterward.”

Ye-jin said nothing.

She could only swallow the warmth that rose in her throat, her silence a quiet form of consent.

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

When he finally returned to the mansion late that night, Ye-jin was waiting by the front door, ready to open it for him.

“You’re finally here… Eup!”

Before she had even finished greeting him, he impatiently showered her with kisses. He pushed Ye-jin against the wall at the entrance and kissed her roughly.

The kiss was so rough that it took her breath away. Ye-jin struggled, hitting his broad back with her fists.

“Jung-hoo, just a moment…”

“Did you come out to greet me because you wanted to be ‘eaten’?”

He asked explicitly, his warm breath carrying a low growl.

Well, it wasn’t exactly wrong. She had hurried to open the door for him, which was unusual, and it was certainly due to a dark motive. She wanted him to hold her immediately. However, she was startled when he interrupted her greeting and kissed her without warning.

Ye-jin rolled her eyes, offering no rebuttal, and he chuckled faintly. He then gently pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered softly.

“Do you know? They say when a person sees something too cute, it actually triggers a destructive urge.”

“…?”

“That’s how I feel right now.”

“…”

“You are so cute and lovable that I want to utterly ruin you.”

“…”

“I have to devour you right now.”

Ye-jin’s face flushed at the sweet whispers.

His trousers were already bulging, showing his readiness. He lifted her skirt impatiently and roughly tore her underwear.

He lifted Ye-jin effortlessly and aggressively plunged his arousal into her. Ye-jin cried out and hugged him tightly.

“Haa…”

The pain tore through her body as a result of the hasty act that began without f*replay. Tears welled up in her eyes.

However, as he skilfully thr*st his hips, the pain quickly turned to pleasure. He stimulated only the spots Ye-jin loved, with great skill and precision.

Ye-jin threw her head back, dug her nails into the nape of his neck, and cried out even louder. She was crying hysterically because it felt so good.

The greedy man was never satisfied with just the once. He was the kind of man who would devour his wife repeatedly until she passed out.

He tenderly carried his limp wife into the bedroom.

He carefully laid her on the bed, then made love to her furiously and with such intensity that the bed itself seemed ready to break.

Their hot passion completely enveloped the bedroom, and her consciousness grew distant. Night turned into dawn.

Ye-jin, who had cl*maxed many times, finally lost consciousness.

Even though his wife had passed out, he couldn’t suppress his l*st and continued to devour her while she slept.

Despite being unconscious, her pelvis twitched and the space between her legs became damp whenever he stimulated her.

‘How lovable this lewd body is.’

Admiring her, he kissed his wife deeply. Then he fulfilled his ardent desire within her.

Only then did he seem satisfied. He hugged his wife tightly and fell asleep too.

However, after a short time, the mobile phone on the bedside table started ringing loudly.

He quickly answered it so as not to wake her. But Ye-jin had already rubbed her sleepy eyes and opened them groggily.

“Got it. I’ll process it and send it right away.”

He quickly exchanged only the essential words and hung up. Ye-jin asked in a sleep-heavy voice.

“What is it?”

“I have something urgent I need to take care of.”

“At this hour?”

“I’ll be quick and come back, so go back to sleep.”

He gently stroked Ye-jin’s head and headed for the study. Ye-jin couldn’t fight her heavy eyelids and fell back asleep.

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

Ye-jin woke up due to thirst. It was still dark outside, and the space beside her in the bed was still empty.

She shuffled to the kitchen, drank some water first, and then checked the time. It was 5:00 AM.

‘Is he still working? He shouldn’t overdo it…’

Driven by worry, she hurried to the study. Without knocking, she flung the door open.

He was tidying the documents on his desk.

“Ah, I was just about to finish up and come back to the bedroom. We must be telepathic.”

He smiled faintly at Ye-jin, who had rushed into the room.

His eyes were bloodshot. He looked exhausted. And he had every right to be.

As soon as he got home late that night, he made love to her several times, all over the house. Then, having slept little, he returned to work in the study.

Furthermore, he had donated part of his liver to Hope and was still recovering. No matter how strong he was, he must have been feeling fatigued.

“You must be very tired, aren’t you?”

Ye-jin approached him, softly stroking his tired face with both hands. She was heartbroken for him.

“At times like this, a cigarette would really take the edge off the fatigue.”

He joked, with a knowing smile. The white face, previously full of pity, instantly turned sharp.

“No smoking!”

“You’re right, I shouldn’t. I quit smoking a long time ago. In that case…”

He suddenly pulled Ye-jin’s wrist toward him. Her delicate body, pulled by his strong force, flopped down onto his lap.

“I’ll have to ‘s*ck’ on you instead.”

He curled up the corner of his mouth darkly. He buried his face deep into her plump chest and rubbed against it like a child.